Newly Found Edestus Shark Fossil

A nice benefit of having a fossil blog on the Internet is the number of people you meet who are interested in fossils from around the world. Back in October 2014, I was contacted by a coal miner in western Kentucky about identifying some the pyrite fossils he found in some of the mines there. It was great that some one in the mining industry was interested in fossils. At the time, I let him know about the Edestus shark fossils that miners sometimes find.

Well, I just heard back from him and he found one of those fossils.

This Edestus shark fossil was found about 7-8 inches (17-20 cm) above the coal seam. This layer is a marine shale above the Springfield and Herrin coal beds of western Kentucky USA. It dates to the upper Middle Pennsylvanian or Carboniferous Period (approximately 307 million years ago). The jaw segment found is about 30 cm long and contained 8-9 teeth. Only 3 are mostly intact though.

Of course if you cannot find one of these fossils for yourself, a company in Japan makes a stuffed animal version of the Edestus available here.

To see more finds from the coal mines see these posts:
http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2014/10/coal-mine-cephalopod.html

http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2014/10/pyrite-strobeus-snail-fossil.html

http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2014/10/shansiella-pyrite-gastropod-fossil.html

http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2014/10/pyrite-bellerophon-fossil.html

http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2014/10/pyrite-trepospira-gastropod-fossil.html


Learn more about Edestus shark fossils:
http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2011/04/shark-jaw-fossil-at-kentucky-coal-mine.html

http://uknow.uky.edu/content/ancient-shark-fossil-found-western-kentucky-mine

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/38338-restoring-edestus-teeth/

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/19260-edestus-jaw/

http://www.indiana9fossils.com/Shark-Fossils/Edestus-Heinrichi.htm

Unidentified Fish Fossils

When I go on trips I sometimes try to find fossils or minerals from that area as a memento. My last trip to Arizona I found this plate in a museum gift shop. Unfortunately, it had no identification label so I do not know its name, location where found, geological formation, or time period. Since it was in a gift shop it must be from an area where fish fossils are commonly found and sold to collectors. Areas I find on the Internet as sources of fish fossils are Green River, Wyoming, Liaoning/Hubai, China, and Ceara, Brazil.

The fish does sort of look like a Dastilbe crandalli found in the Santana Formation of Ceara, Brazil. Fish from that area date to the Lower Cretaceous Period.

The matrix had 2 other fish remains on it. One is of the tail and rear vertebra and the other fossil on the other side of the plate is a jumbo of parts which includes some of the rib bones.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dastilbe

Porosphaera globularis Fossil From Spain

This sponge fossil is called Porosphaera globularis from the Cretaceous Period. They were found in the region of Navarra, Spain.

According to the Natural History Museum of the U.K, people sometimes use these fossils as beads in necklaces. One was even found at a Bronze Age burial site with a skeleton from the Higham Marshes of Kent in south east England.

Thanks to Herb for these fossils.

Info sources:

http://uk.naturalhistory.museum/nature-online/earth/fossils/fossil-folklore/themes/decoration06.htm

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/gallery/image/29192-porosphaera-globularis/